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AIDS Free Pittsburgh has an ambitious goal. The ten-year-old initiative, a collaborative comprising government agencies, healthcare institutions, and community organizations, managed through the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, aims to end the HIV epidemic in Allegheny County by 2030.
AIDS Free Pittsburgh has three strategies to end the epidemic.
- Normalize HIV Testing by increasing the rate of routine screenings for HIV/AIDS in medical settings in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U. S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines.
- Increase access to PrEP by raising awareness of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in the community and enhancing the capacity of healthcare providers to identify eligible patients and prescribe PrEP.
- Improve linkage to care by using established relationships within the medical community to ensure that people diagnosed with HIV are quickly linked to high-quality care, facilitating faster treatment for those who need it.
Dr. Ken Ho, a medical professional at UPMC specializing in infectious diseases and HIV medicine, became the co-chair of AIDS Free Pittsburgh alongside Kristi Seemiller, an Administrative Director for the Positive Health Clinic at Allegheny Health Network (AHN). Ho became involved since the initiative’s inception in December 2015. He began serving on committees until he and Seemiller became co-chairs several months ago.
Ho said, “I started a PrEP clinic at UPMC and became AIDS Free Pittsburgh’s prevention expert.” He added, “I am a member of the community, and I believe in the mission to stop the spread of HIV infections in Allegheny County by 2030, to exist in a world where there are no new HIV infections.”
Ho said, “AIDS Free Pittsburgh’s website is an important source. It helps guide users to clinical care.”
AIDS Free Pittsburgh recently conducted a PrEP survey and found that only about three in five Allegheny County residents have ever heard of PrEP. PrEP, or Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, is a medication that can reduce the chances of getting HIV by about 99%, if used correctly. PrEP can be used by anyone who is HIV-negative.
Dr. Ho noted the stigma and bias contribute to disparities in treatment and prevention for the Black community. He said, “Access to testing, higher rates of HIV infections in the Black Community. Delays and barriers to care cause the infection to spread in higher numbers in the Black Community.”
But Dr. Ho remains hopeful. He said, “AIDS Free Pittsburgh is a think tank, a place to learn from one another. It’s a place to connect with the community, and the feedback we get is invaluable.”
For more information on testing, PrEP, and/or resources for individuals living with HIV, please visit www.aidsfreepittsburgh.org
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